Clothes-line holder



(No Model.)

W. KOCH.

CLOTHES LINE HOLDER.

No. 605,607. Patented June 14, 1898.

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ILLIAM x0011, or LAWRENOEBURG, INDIANA.

CLOTHES-LINE HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,607, dated June 14,1898.

Application filed July 2,1897. Serial No. 643.241. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM KooH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrenceburg, in the county of Dearborn and .State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Holders; and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to furnish a cheap and simple holder around which a clothes-line can be readily and compactly wound when not in use; but when it is needed said line.is uncoiled from said holder and stretched back and forth from post to post in the usual manner; but if the entire line is not required a retainer is brought into service to prevent the uncoiling of any more line after it has been stretched as far as necessary. This retainer is not operated until the last post is reached, and then as soon as the line is properly fastened thereto said retainer is caused to grasp the line and thereby suspend the holder. Consequently the device now hangs from this last post, and being suspended some distance above the ground there is no danger of the line becoming soiled or entangled with a perso'ns feet. 9

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the most complete form of my holder. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 show a number of more simple modifications of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, Aand B represent a pair of light parallel side bars united together by two stretchers O D and notched at their opposite ends,"as at a a. b b. E is a thin panel secured withinxthis frame A B O D, which panel maydisplaythe makersname and address andthe date and number of his patent for the holder. Stretchers G D are provided with hooks c d, with either one of which may be engaged a loop on the end of a clothes-line. The loop is first engaged over'the proper hook c or d, and then the line is wound around the stretchers C D, the provision of two hooks en abling the holder to be used either as a right or left hand device.

F F are hooks pivoted to the outer side of bar A, and G G are similar hooks orretainers securedto'the other bar B.

II is a handle for the holder.

As the side bars A B may project any required distance beyond the stretchers O D, it is evident the holder will have sufficient capacity for any ordinary clothes-line, which is readily brought into service by uncoiling it from the holder as said line is stretched from post to post o'rother support. After an attachment is made to the last post theline is bent abruptly or about at aright angle, so as to engage in one of the notches at the end of the appropriate side barA or B,and then the hook F oriF or G or G is forced over this bend. This sudden bend in the line and the engagement therewith of the hook prevents further uncoilin g of said line from the holder. Consequently the device is now suspended from the 'post'at any desired elevation, thereby preventing the line coming in contact with the ground and rendering it impossible fora person to stumble over the holder. When the clothes are dried, the hook is disengaged from the line, and the latter is then pulled out from the notch, after which act said line is wound up, being coiled around the stretchers O D, as above described. An end of the line with a loop in it may now be passed through one of the notches andcaught by the hook, as previously explained, thereby enabling the holder to be hung from a nail in some secure place. very complete form of my holder, but the device may be simplified, as seen in Fig. 2. Here the bar A has two diverging pins I I projecting from one and the same side of said bar, its opposite side being furnished with the handle H, or this handle can project from the same side as said pins. Hooks are dispensed with in this case, and plate-springs J J are secured inthe notches at the ends of the bar A, and the springs have bends jj, that prevent the line pulling out after being forced into either one of said notches. The diverging pins impart such a shape to the coil of line as to prevent it slipping off the holder; but the pins may project from opposite sides of the bar A", as seen at K K in Fig. 3. In this illustration the notches are omitted, and the end of the bar A" is simply chamfered off at a and The above describes a has a bent spring L secured to it, having an inturned end 5, thereby affording a passage Z for the line to be inserted in. By thus chamfering the bar the opening or passage Z is widest at its upper or receiving end and gradually contracts toward its lower end. Consequently a line can be readily inserted in this passage after first pulling the free end of the spring L away from the bar A, and then as said line is forced down within said passage the grasp of said spring becomes tighter and tighter until a position is reached where the line may be held with sufficient firmness to prevent it slipping when the holder is suspended therefrom. In Fig. 4.- the same kind of a bar and spring are used, but the outer ends of the pins are curved at 70 7;; or these curved pins can be applied to the bar A and project from one side thereof, the same as do the pins I I.

\Vhen the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 1- is used, the line is wound diagonally or spirally around the main bar of the holder,which is thus enabled to hold a great length of line without being long and unwieldy.

In Fig. 5 a latch M has a horizontal bend m in it, which latch is first swung overin the direction of the arrow to enable the line N being passed through the notch of, after which act said latch is thrown back, so as to pass above the bent portion of said line. The

latch is then again swung forward, so as to engage its bend 77? with the line in the manner shown.

From the above description it is evident any form of retainer shown may be used to prevent the clothes or other line accidentally pulling out from the converging notch or other passage at the end of the holder, and it is also apparent that a single notch may be used in some cases. I prefer, however, to use two notches, because they are readily made and add very materially to the convenience of the device. Finally, the bar A (seen in. Figs. 3 and st) may be extended some distance below the lower pins K 7t, so as to constitute a staff or handle.

I claim as my invention 1. The within-described specific construction of non-rotatable clothes-line holder,which device includes a bar provided with a retainer, a pair of laterally-projccting pins and a longitudinal passage widest at its receiving end, and converging toward its other end, said parts being so combined and arranged as to enable a line to be wound around said pins, then bentat a right angle to traverse said passage, near its narrowest end, and to be secured therein bysaid retainer, in order that said holder may be hung up by said line without causing it to uncoil from said pins, all as set forth.

2. A suspension clothes-line holder comprising the side bar A, having notched ends (I. c, and hooks F, F, another and' parallel side bar 13, having notched ends I), b, and hooks G, G, and stretehers (3, ll), rigidly uniting said bars, the whole constituting a nonrotatable device capable of being held by hand, in the manner herein described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IVILLIAV KOCH.

Witnesses:

Jenn 1i. Riissu, Jonx L. Kocu. 

